Spring cushion assembly



May 14, 1957 M. J. RYMLAND spams cusmou ASSEMBLY Filed Oct 8, 1953INVENTOR Maria rlflymknl BY )W ATTORNEYS United States Patent,

SPRING CUSHION ASSEMBLY Murray J. Rymland, Baltimore, Mil.

Application October 8, 1953, Serial No..3814,87.4

2 Claims. (Cl. -275) 1953, and the present invention represents a.variation and improvement of the structure therein claimed.

Among the general objects of the present invention are to provide aspring cushion assembly adapted to distribute applied pressure smoothlyand evenly, and to provide an assembly of simplified, durable andinexpensive construction, wherein lateral displacement of component coilsprings is efiectively prevented.

A particular object of the invention is to provide a spring cushionassembly employing elongated metal straps to secure the rows of springs,whereby the overall assembly is effectively stiffened, and the length ofeach spring row is positively established and maintained.

Another object is to provide a spring cushion unit adapted forsemi-automatic and automatic assembly.

A further object is to provide a spring cushion assembly adapted toprevent padding or filling material from entering into the componentsprings thereof, when utilized in mattresses, upholstered furniture orthe like. Further objects of the invention will be in part obvious andin part pointed out hereinafter.

The invention and the novel features thereof may best be made celar fromthe following description and the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a fragmentary plan view of a spring cushion assemblyconstructed according to the present invention;

Figure 2 is an elevational view of the cushion assembly sectionillustrated in Figure 1;

Figure 3 is 'an enlarged view taken on the line 33 of Figure 1, lookingtoward an end of the novel securing strap;

Figure 4 is a sectional view on the line 44 of Figure 3;

Figure 5 is an enlarged sectional view taken on the line 5-5 of Figure1;

Figure 6 is an enlarged sectional view taken on the line 66 of Figure l,and

Figure 7 is an enlarged sectional view taken on the line 7-7 of Figure1.

Referring to the drawings in detail, the spring cushion assemblycomprises a plurality of component helical coil springs .10, constructedof wire in conventional form as illustrated in Figures 1 and 2. Each rowof springs is aligned and arranged with an arcuate portion of the endconvolution of each spring overlapping a corresponding portion of anadjacent spring in the same row, whereby one such portion becomes anoverlying arcuate portion 11 and the other an underlying arcuate portion12, and a space 13 is provided between the overlapping portions.

To fix adjacent rows in desired parallel spaced relationship, aplurality of tie wires 14 extend transversely of the rows along thelines of overlap between the coils.

2 Each tie wire 14 is provided with a plurality of pairs of spaceddepressions 15, each pair of depressions being separated by an upwardlyprojecting insert 16 therebetween, as best illustrated in Figures 3 and'7'. When positioned in the assembly, each pair of depressions 15partially embraces the intersecting sections 17 of an overlapping pairof arcuate portions 11 and 12, and the intermediate insert :16 projectsinto the space 16 therebetween. As will be readily understood, the pairsof depressions 15v are spaced along the, length of tie wires 14' tosuitably space from each other adjacent rows, of component spring-s, thestructure illustrated in Figure 1 being merely a partial view of onespring row of the overall assembly.

in; my prior patent referred to, the overlapping arcuate portionszofadjacent springs in a row are secured to. each otherand' to the tie wireinsertsby individual clamp members firmly'engaged to those elements.While. such structural relationship is entirely satisfactory, i have nowdiscovered. that: for some applications further advantages reside; inemploying along each row of springs elongated metal straps =18 ofsubstantial width, arranged to pass underthe insert of each tie wire.and over the overlapping arcuate. portions; of the springs. Each strap,18: extends the length of a spring row, replacing accordingly aplurality of'individual clamp members;

The strap. 18 underlying. inserts 16 or the; tie wires and overlying theoverlapping arcuate portions 11 and .11 of the individual springseifectively retains the intersecting sections 17 of the arcuate portionsin the depressions 1-5 of the tie wires, whereby lateral movement of thesprings relative to each other or axially'of the tie wires iseifectively prevented. This locking function of the strap is illustratedin Figure 5. To similarly prevent lateral displacement of the springs inthe direction of the row, each strap may be permanently and reverselycrimped at suitable intervals, to form therein humps 19 adapted tounderlie and partially enclose the tie wire inserts, and adajcen-t humps20 adapted to overlie and partially enclose the adjacent overlyingarcuate spring portion 11, see Figure 6. The crimps or humps 19, 20 areobviously spaced along the strap length to establish and maintain thedesired position of each spring in the row. 'In this manner,--theoverall length of the spring row is positively established and firmlymaintained.

Each end section 21 of the strap 18 may be reversely bent as at 22 (seeFigures 3 and 4) about the end pair of arcuate portions 11 and 12 in therow, and permanently crimped to :form a hump 23 partially enclosing theend underlying arcuate portion 12. -In this manner, the relativeposition of each component spring of the row is permanently fixed,including the end springs thereof which are not traversed by the straps.

The straps, as will be readily understood, serve to effectively stiffenthe overall assembly, particularly to resist endwise pressures exertedagainst the assembly in the row direction. The straps also establish andmaintain the desired length and spacing of each spring row. Since theyoverlie the individual component springs, they also serve, whenassembled in mattresses or furniture, to prevent the entry of padding orfilling material into the interior of the coils. The latter tunction isenhanced by the substantial width of the straps. The fiat strapconfiguration of the members 18 facilitates speedy and semi-automatic orautomatic assembly of the units, since they may be readily positioned,either manually or mechanically, between the tie wires and theoverlapping portions of the end convolutions of the springs in theprocess of assembly.

It will thus be seen that there has been provided by this invention astructure in which the various objects hereinbefore set forth, togetherwith many practical ad- 3 vantages, are successfully achieved. Asvarious possible embodiments may be made of the mechanical features ofthe above invention, all without departing from the scope thereof, it isto be understood that all matter hereinbefore set forth or shown in theaccompanying drawings is to be interpreted as illustrative, and not in alimiting sense;

I claim:

1. -A spring cushion assembly comprising a plurality of parallel rows ofsimilar helical coil springs having their axes arranged in parallelism,each spring having an arcuate portion of an end convolution thereof sooverlapping a a corresponding portion of an adjacent spring in the samerow as to provide a space between such overlapping portions, a pluralityof tie wires extending transversely of the rows along the lines ofoverlap between the coils, each tie Wire having a plurality of pairs ofspaced depressions with upwardly projecting inserts therebetween, thedepressions of each pair being disposed in embracing relation to theoverlapping points of a pair of adjacent arcuate spring portions withthe intermediate insert projecting into the space between said arcuateportions, and a metal strap of substantial width extending along eachrow under the intermediate insert of each tie wire and over the arcuateportions of said springs, said metal straps being humped to partiallyenclose each tie wire 25 ate portion of an end convolution thereof sooverlapping a corresponding portion of an adjacent spring in the samerow as to provide a space between such overlapping portions, a pluralityof tie wires extending transversely of the rows along the lines ofoverlap between the coils, each tie wire having a plurality of pairs ofspaced dcpressions with upwardly projecting inserts therebetween, thedepressions of each pair being disposed in embracing relation to theoverlapping points of a pair of adjacent arouate spring portions withthe intermediate insert projecting into the space between said arcuateportions, and a metal strap of substantial width extending along eachrow under the intermediate insert of each tie wire and over the arcuateportions of said springs, said metal straps being in tight frictionalengagement with each tie wire insert and with at least one of thecorresponding :areuate portions of said springs to resist relativelateral movement between adjacent overlapping springs.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS530,248 Stoll I Dec. 4, 1894 819,674 Pennepaoker May 1, 1906 1,853,247Winders Apr. 12, 1932 2,050,105 Lewis Aug. 4, 1936 2,630,586 RymlandMar. 10, 1953 FOREIGN PATENTS 130,506 Australia Sept. 4, 1947 356,469Great Britain Sept. 10, 1931

